I’ve had a lovely weekend hanging out with Courtney and her family, not doing much but getting out for walks and sitting around drinking coffee and talking, it’s been very relaxing. Scarlet, their cat mashed her presence known from time to time. It was warm enough tonight to have dinner out on the deck. I noticed a building across the canyon from them that was wrapped in plastic. Apparently that is commonly done when houses that have more than one level need to be painted. Scaffolding is put up then the structure is wrapped in plastic so the painters can work even if it’s raining, which it often is!
In New Zealand people often pay others directly through bank transfers not through an app like Venmo (reimbursing friends, or paying small businesses, like at a craft fair). It’s also really common for people to use their debit cards for everything. It’s unusual for people to pay cash, even for very small purchases and some places don’t even accept cash at all. One day I tried to pay for a coffee with cash, but the barista told me that he would have to give me my $4 in change in 10 cent pieces. No thank you!
I’ve discovered that New Zealanders don’t have screens on their windows or doors, so bugs and flys can come in as they please. It’s a bit disconcerting at first, especially on a hot night when you want to catch the breeze, but I’ve adjusted. Most houses don’t have air conditioning so opening windows and using fans are the only ways to cool down. Windows without screens do look much nicer, and they often open upwards to keep rain from getting in, which can make it more difficult for flying bugs to enter.
